The Cancerwoman Chronicles
by Krypto
Summary: Rated for slight language. Not everyone in life can be the hero, but everyone wants to change the world.
1. Beginning

The Cancerwoman Chronicles: Origin of a Heroine  
  
"I'm afraid you already told me you were going to run, thus I have the moral obligation to force you to do it."  
  
"C'mon, couldn't we just sit for a little longer, I have to tie my shoes."  
  
"Tie them outside, that way you can start running right away, and not keep sitting around in here trying to find excuses as to why you can't run."  
  
"I hate you, Keith", the girl glared as she trudged outside into the warm August air.  
  
"Yeah yeah, I love you too, Danielle. By the way, shouldn't Dave be here by now?"  
  
"He'll show up", she looked quickly up the empty street, "in fact, he's here."  
  
The car pulled up quickly, coming to a short halt. Bounding out of the car, Dave tried valiantly to finish changing into his running attire. "Hey guys, sorry I'm late. Let's go"  
  
* * * * *  
  
Bernie looked out the window again, silently cursing the state of things. 'How could my wonderful area become poisoned by these damn smog spewing apes. It's not enough that these kids have to smoke, but they have to bring it to my coffee shop.' He looked down at the makeshift bomb in his hands. 'I guess I'll just have to take care of this on my own.'  
  
To the casual observer, the device in Bernie's hands looked like a five year old's version of a radio, complete with paperclip wires and cardboard casing. However, thanks to his father's connections at the hospital, Bernie was able to obtain some rather hazardous materials from x- ray machines and broken sonigrams. A little tweaking, and Bernie had himself a bomb capable of demolishing half a city block.  
  
After weeks of preparation and espionage, he had finally secured himself a quick, smoke-free access to the coffee shop. A quick in, then set the timer and be out before anyone can notice. The plan was all but perfect. The coffee shop was a small price to pay for getting rid of those damn smokers.  
  
One might call Bernie a bitter man. Born with a deadly allergy to cigarette and cigar smoke, he spent the first week after being brought home in an oxygen tent, thanks to an uncle passing out cigars on the joyous occasion. All his life Bernie had been diagnosed with more and more allergies: fur, pollen, and various foods. Bernie strove to overcome it all though, never letting his allergies get him down. Smoke was another story altogether though. One wif of second hand smoke, and he might be forced to the hospital, spending another week in the oxygen tent.  
  
Bernie had to be careful where he spent his time. Originally, he found a wonderful little coffee shop in the Village. No smokers would come near the place, it was a hangout for teens, and back then, only the older folk smoked. But then, they came. Kids hardly old enough to drive a car, stealing or somehow getting cigarettes, and then lighting up just to look cool. They started coming in droves, filling the place with a smokey haze before Bernie would even show up for his daily latte. He had lost the little piece of heaven that he so treasured. And it was in that moment that the spark for overcoming his problems turned into a flame, a burning flame of hatred towards those kids. He hated those kids for taking his paradise, and he would pay them back by taking their lives.  
  
And now, he was sitting outside the coffee shop, waiting for the right time. He watched as a store clerk, one he onced chatted with often, stepped outside to throw the garbage in the dumpster outside. Bernie moved like lightning, knocking the boy out, and quickly stopping the now open rear entrance. In a final act of humanity, Bernie moved the boy far enough away to escape the blast, before stealthily moving back to the coffee shop entrance.  
  
* * * * *  
  
A weary band of travelers swiftly jogged through the streets, trying to keep pace, as well as keep the group together. One of the group looked on with pride, and slight annoyance; another looked determined and good humored; while the last looked just about ready to pass out on the spot.  
  
"Slow down you guys, don't you realize that you're running with a smoker. Can't we just walk for a block?" Danielle hopefully pleaded.  
  
"Ya know, Dave smokes too, and he isn't having a problem."  
  
Danielle looked disdainfully at her companion, "Yeah, but Dave is a gymnast, I'm not athletic at all."  
  
"Just get over it and keep running."  
  
The three moved in silence once again as they entered the Village. Becoming tired of watching the intense glares from Danielle, Keith took the time to take in the scenery. Briefly closing his eyes in bliss, he missed the large crack in the cement, which managed to catch his foot and send him sprawling onto the unforgiving sidewalk. Blushing slightly as Dave and Danielle gave a hearty laugh, Keith stood up again and diverted his eyes from the other two runners, looking straight at his friend Bernie pulling an unconscious body.  
  
"What the heck?!?!"  
  
"Hahahahaha.. ha..he..he... what the heck is what?" Danielle tried to ask.  
  
"Holy shit! Look, Bernie's down the street with somebody. The guy looks hurt," Dave said, shocked.  
  
With less than a moment's thought, Keith dashed toward Bernie, "C'mon, they might need help."  
  
Danielle tried her best to keep up, "Wait... why's...he ...huff.... leavin the guy?"  
  
The trio reached the unconscious boy in time to see Bernie leave him and rush back to the Village. Bernie was so caught up in his plan, he failed to notice the three figures coming to the boy's aid. After checking pulse and breathing, they figure the boy must have been knocked out.  
  
"Did Bernie do this?" Dave asked, looking towards where Bernie had gone.  
  
"We gotta figure out what is goin on," Keith said, looking at the faces of the others with him. He received two nods of agreement before they all turned to the Village and started sprinting.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Bernie picked up his bomb, which he had left outside the door, and moved in. He could hear the voices of those cretins talking like the crude pigs they were. He quickly put on his painter's mask, banking that it would protect him from the smoke long enough to do what need be done. He looked around the slightly darkened storeroom for a suitable spot to hide his creation.  
  
He set the crude device in a low shelf and set it in place to look just like another box. Soon, all his planning would come to pass, and he'd be rid of these foul apes once and for all. He paused for a moment at the activation switch. He paused at the voice of an angel. Emily had worked at the coffee shop for two years now. She was only a few months older than Bernie, and he had fallen hard for her. He had always wanted to ask her out, and had intended to, but they came in the day he had finally found the courage to do so. He heard her talking to another worker, she laughed, and oh how she laughed. It was like the most beautiful song to him.  
  
Bernie looked down at his contraption. He heard the laugh again. A tear rolled slowly down his cheek. He couldn't do it, he could never do anything to hurt her, Emily. Bernie looked down at his bomb. He gently lifted it back up, and turned towards the door, shocked to see three of his friends bursting through.  
  
"Bernie!! What's......" Keith couldn't finish as he saw the crude device in Bernie's hands. Had it not been for his brief army man phase, Keith wouldn't have guessed what the contraption was. But he, seeing it with slightly odd parts here and there, knew what the device was, a bomb. "Bernie, stop! Don't do anything you'll regret! Nobody needs to get hurt here."  
  
Danielle, sensing the urgency in her companion's voice, tried her best to do what she thought was right. "Bernie, whatever is going on, it's not worth hurting someone over. You've gotta stop whatever you're doing."  
  
Things had not gone to plan at all. Seeing his friends, Bernie panicked. There was no way he could be caught, he couldn't go to jail. He was out of ideas, and shakily pressed a button. Too late did he realize it was the start of the bomb's countdown. Time seemed to stand still as all eyes glued themselves to the red counter flashing its ominous warning.  
  
"Oh my god! What have I done?" Bernie looked frantically at the stricken faces of his friends. The third time that day, Bernie panicked, and dropped the cardboard contraption to the ground. It seems they just don't make do-it-yourself bomb instructions with the intent of stability. The parts shook with a breathtaking clang, but settled once again. The countdown briefly paused, blinking off, before blinking on again, with a new time. Five seconds until detonation!!  
  
"Run," came a surprisingly calm voice. And with that a body launched itself on top of the bomb, hoping vainly to muffle the explosion enough to save everyone.  
  
And then, white.  
  
What will happen to our intrepid group of friends? Did the Village get a bursting new make-over? Or, did our mysterious savior succeed? Who was it that tried so valiantly to save the others, at risk of their own life? Find out in the next issue of The Cancerwoman Chronicles. 


	2. Awakening

The Cancerwoman Chronicles: Origin of a Heroine  
  
The world was white, and the world was deafening.  
  
"Get somebody over here, this one looks alive"  
"Four survivors now, get her in the ambulance."  
"Is she okay, doctor?"  
"She's pretty banged up. We'll just have to wait and see."  
"Nurse, put her in the far room with the other one."  
"Oh Danielle, please wake up."  
  
'Well if you say so.' Danielle slowly blinked open one eye, then the other. The world was less white now, and there were people. 'Were these the voices I heard? Let's see, Mom, Dad, little sis, the family's all here. What is going on?' Danielle tried to open her mouth to ask, but found that her throat was dry as a bone.  
  
The action did, however, catch the attention of a kindly looking woman standing above the hospital bed with teary eyes. "You're awake! We were so worried. Oh, oh, your throat, here's some water." The woman brought a cup and straw up to the girl's lips and smiled as the liquid emptied from the cup.  
  
"Thanks mom. Now whats going on? How did I get here?"  
  
The mother looked as if to cry again, but a strong hand on her shoulder held back the tears. "Just calm down, you're still recovering. It seems that one of those Osama Bin Kaida peoples planted a bomb in that coffee shop you used to go to. The police said you and your friends must've been just inside the blast radius. You and your friends got banged up pretty good, but you all seem to be recovering pretty well."  
  
'We made it! There must really be someone up there looking out for us. But, wait... just inside the blast radius? We were right next to it before that idiot Keith thought to try and stop it with his own body.' Puzzled, Danielle looked around the room more, seeing Keith and Dave on beds in the same room. Too, many tear filled faces whom she didn't recognize also muddled about the room, as if a terrible tragedy just occured, not just a few kids getting hurt by a firecracker.  
  
"Why is everybody so sad, we're all ok aren't we?"  
  
"Y..you weren't the only ones hurt," said a soft voice behind Danielles parents. It was her sister, sitting behind them all. "The bomb took out an entire block. Sixty people dead. You all.." she said, gesturing around the room, "and Bernie were the only one's who made it."  
  
"What?!?!" the panic in Danielle's voice was unmistakable. "How could that be? Sixty dead? But, we were right in the middle of it, there's not way that we could be the only ones who lived."  
  
"No no no, you were just on the edge of it, the police and firemen were sure of it. No one near the center had a chance. The coffee shop is completely gone," her father tried to reassure her, "the doctor said you might not be able to remember all that happened. I know you think it's real, but your mind is just exaggerating things after the shock."  
  
"NO! I don't have some psycho amnesia! We were all there, Bernie had the bomb, but he dropped it, and Keith was an idiot, and it went off. I was RIGHT there!" She couldn't understand why these people wouldn't believe her, she had been RIGHT there. She almost began screaming again, if not for a scarier sound going off at the same time. Behind a large group of people came the most chilling sound in the hospital. A continuous beep sounded, signalling the heartbeat, or lack there of, of a twelve year old boy.  
  
For what seemed an eternity, the room was silent, save for the heart monitor. A doctor solemnly started writing, 'August 10, 2003. Time of Death: 6:43'. They had been watching the boy closely for days, they knew resuscitation was futile. Immediately, the entire group of people around the boy burst with a batch of fresh tears. Danielle lost all power to speak, her anger and confusion now gone, only leaving a sense of guilt and sorrow.  
  
Danielle's mother bent down, speaking so softly that it hardly could be heard by the girl on the bed, "That boy was three stores away, and the only one still found in one piece. No one near the blast could have survived. Now settle down and try to sleep, you need your rest."  
  
Danielle nodded dumbly and laid back against her pillow. She hadn't realized it in her frustration, but she was incredibly tired. She looked at the deceased boy's family once more, shedding a silent tear, before falling into a dreamless sleep.  
  
* * * * *  
  
With each new break of day, new hopes are formed, old dreams are ended, and we all are given a new beginning. Danielle felt the uplifting sensation of sunshine on her face. Slowly she began to stir, finally coming fully into consciousness again. She simply laid there for a moment, silently praying that the events of the past week had just been a nightmare. Her eyelids split apprehensively, taking in the surroundings of her still and sterile hospital room. A slight frown creased her radiant features, 'No answered prayers today.'  
  
"Good morning, Danielle. How are you feeling?"  
  
Danielle surveyed the woman speaking, "Actually, I'm feeling really good, mom."  
  
"I thought so, the doctors said you are fully healed. It's a miracle really. In fact, you might be able to go home today if all the test results are good," the woman gently stroked her daughter's forehead. No matter how old her children would get, she could still see them as the little one's they once were, still needing their mommies for help.  
  
"I can go home? Sweet!" Danielle looked around the silent room. "Hey, where'd the others go?"  
  
"Well, once the doctors said you were going to be fine, I told them that they should carry on with their lives a bit, and I'd stay to keep an eye on you. You're dad is off to work, and your sister is at horseriding."  
  
"Oh...ok..."  
  
"Also, I brought you some clothes so you don't have to stay in that hospital gown forever."  
  
"What?" Danielle looked down to find herself in a paper thin, backless garment. Blushing ever so slightly, she reached to the clothes in her mother's hand, "Thanks a lot, mom. I..think I'll get changed right away." She looked around the room skeptically, "Umm...where..?"  
  
"Bathroom's the second door next to the window."  
  
"Thanks," with that, Danielle gingerly got out of her bed, stopping for a moment to quickly hold the back of her gown together. Feeling her face flush, she hurriedly scooted into the bathroom and slammed the door.  
  
The seated woman chuckled softly before standing up to stretch out a bit. How long had it been since she last slept? Two? Three days? She couldn't even remember anymore. But, there was no way she was going to sleep while her baby was injured in the hospital. Wearily, she began tidying up the now cover strewn bed her daughter had just occupied. Things were getting a bit difficult to focus on after all the lack of sleep, so much so that the woman almost missed hearing a short balding man enter the room. With white coat flapping, he rushed to the woman by the bed.  
  
"Mrs. Maihofer! I'm so glad I finally found the right room," he looked her over thoroughly. "How are you holding up?"  
  
"Oh, Dr. Keats! I'm doing well, as long as Danielle is ok. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I hear one of my little patients is in the hospital, wouldn't be much of a family physician if I didn't come down and see if everything is ok."  
  
"Well everything is great now. Danielle is just in the bathroom changing right now. Hopefully we can get her home and back to some semblance of normal."  
  
"Oh, well I talked to the doctors here earlier, they're going to want to keep her overnight just for observation. The are pretty sure that she is entirely fine, but things could have been a lot worse, and they don't want to take the chance of anything being missed."  
  
Insomnia was taking its toll, "A lot worse? What do you mean?"  
  
The doctor quickly looked to the bathroom door before lowering his voice just above a whisper, "You remember at our last appointment I ran all those tests on her? Well, I received the results. The lab said that your daughter had lung and throat cancer."  
  
"Oh my god! My baby has cancer?!"  
  
Raising his arms to shush the woman, "No no no, they did a lot more tests after the accident, and they found nothing. I've had them double and triple check just to make sure."  
  
"The accident cured her?"  
  
The man all but laughed, "I doubt it is anything that miraculous. The people at the lab probably just made some little mistake." Seeing the woman visibly relax, he analyzed her condition. "By the way, how long has it been since you last slept?"  
  
"Umm.... maybe a couple days, nothing too much."  
  
He could sense the apprehension in her voice, "From the looks of things it has been a lot. I know that you are worried, but with all this stress, your body needs to get sleep."  
  
"I'll get plenty of sleep when she's home. I'm fine, really." All this talking was making the woman dizzy. She turned back to the bed, slightly stumbling as she moved.  
  
"Mrs. Maihofer, you are not fine. You have to get some sleep. In fact, I'm demanding you go to sleep. There is a room downstairs for family members. I'm making you go down there, or I will admit you as a patient and have the nice nurses put you to sleep."  
  
The woman looked up with pleading eyes, but only received a stern look. She sighed in defeat, "Fine, I'll go down once..." she still received the same stern look. "Fine, fine. I'm going," the woman headed towards the door. She turned right before exiting, "You'll wake me if anything happens, won't you?"  
  
"I doubt there will be any need, but, of course I will."  
  
Keats watched as the woman left before seating himself. The last week or so had been incredibly trying. The bombing had dominated the media. Once again the news tried to convince people that they weren't safe in their own homes, and that the new threat of terrorism could affect anyone. As a doctor, one never truly became accustomed to the death of people. All doctors try so hard to prevent the loss of life. But then, these things happen, where there is no one that could have done a thing. Doctors were mere men in a world that needed supermen.  
  
The bathroom handle wiggled slightly before a fully clothed girl burst out, glowing in her new attire. Danielle looked over the room, noticing the absence of her mother. Confused, she looked to the man sitting near her bed. She smiled with recognition, "Hey Dr. Keats, what are you doing here? And where's my mom?"  
  
"Just came to check on you. As for your mother, I sent her to get some sleep. She's been working herself ragged trying to make you get better."  
  
"Oh," she looked at the ground and shuffled her feet. "So do you know when I can get out of here?"  
  
"Actually, the hospital wants to keep you around another night for observation."  
  
Danielle looked up in shock. "But, what am I supposed to do until tomorrow?"  
  
Keats smiled broadly, "I'm sure the nurses wouldn't mind if a perfectly healthy girl like yourself was allowed to walk around the hospital a bit. In fact," he added with a wink, "why don't I stay here and make sure its all ok with them if they come in."  
  
Danielle smiled as she hugged the man. "Thanks, I'll try not to get into any trouble." She smiled once more as she opened the door to the hallway, had a quick lookout, and disappeared out the door.  
  
Keats sat down again after his hug. 'That girl seems healthier now than the last time I saw her.'  
  
* * * * *  
  
Danielle wandered the halls for hours, often making her way to the vending machines and filling up on sugar. Each step out of the hospital room seemed to invigorate the petite patient. Yet, as she walked, she felt something missing. The nagging feeling began to slightly stress her out. By the time she had wandered to the top floor, she was racking her brain for what was wrong.  
  
Exasperated, she turned to her old habit, "Man, I really need a smoke." 'Hey, that's it, I need a smoke.'  
  
"Sorry, little miss smokestack, but there's no smoking allowed in the hospital."  
  
Danielle turned around at the rude voice. A male nurse stood with a glazed expression on his face. Despite his rudeness, Danielle tried to remain civil, "Sorry, my bad."  
  
The man's voice seemed to echo right out of his mouth. Too, it sounded oddly familiar. The man seemed almost like he was sleepwalking, devoid of facial expression. However, the venom in his words was unmistakable, "You're bad? You're bad could have killed some of the people in this ward. Don't you have any respect for anything?"  
  
Her face turned into a look of disgust. Suddenly she began to feel weak again, as if she were back in the hospital room. Still ready to give the crazy nurse a piece of her mind, she almost started on her tirade, and would have done it had not, at that moment, a crazy wheelchair come careening down the hallway, slamming into the nurse and knocking him on his back. 'Maybe some prayers are answered.' The nurse seemed to recover quickly, the glazed expression leaving his face, being replaced by one of confusion. Without a word he got up and walked back into the ward.  
  
"Sorry about that man, the chair kinda got outta control for a sec."  
  
Danielle looked down to see Keith, with what she would call his 'stupid optimism' plastered all over his face. "Keith! What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Same thing as you, I imagine. Ya know, with the whole kablammo, needing medical attention thing."  
  
She gently rapped him in the back of his head. "You dork, I mean what are you doing awake, and up here?"  
  
"Oh right, well I woke up an hour or so ago, and they said I'm all fixed up. So, I decided since I was ok, and since the nurses are pretty slow, I'd make a getaway. Even though that Keats is a great guy, that place is just stifling."  
  
"And why in a wheelchair?"  
  
"These gowns are a bit drafty. I figured no one needed to see my white butt, so this was the logical way to go."  
  
"Well you're half right. Anyway, this ward creeps me out, follow me to the vending machines."  
  
"Right-o! Hey, I'll race ya down there, me in the wheelchair the whole time."  
  
"I might have taken you up on that a minute ago, but I'm not really feeling up to it right now."  
  
The pair moved in silence. Keith didn't want to let on that he, too, felt drained when he met up with her. It couldn't have been anything. He rolled along, keeping a sharp eye on Danielle. She looked like she was trying to sort out something. She tried once asking a question, but stopped before she could finish. "Do you remem.... nevermind."  
  
Keith sighed, "I remember the explosion too. The paramedics are wrong."  
  
She stopped and stood in front of the wheelchair. "So I'm not crazy, we were right next to the thing when it went off!"  
  
"Well, you're half right, we were right next to the thing."  
  
"I hate you. Look, how could we have survived being right next to a bomb when it killed everyone else on the whole block?"  
  
Keith looked down darkly, "How much of what happened do you remember?"  
  
"I remember following Bernie, him hitting the switch, him dropping it, seeing the timer, watching you be an idiot and try to stop it with your body, and then it seemed like everything was in slow motion. The bomb seemed like it exploded twice, and then I blacked out."  
  
"It did explode twice. It did feel like time slowed down. I could see it all. First the bomb lit up with a blinding green and yellow light, I could feel the light hit me, and my whole body felt like it was on fire. The thing is, thats when the real explosion hit, I felt the flames licking at my body, but not burning. Then I saw us all thrown through the back wall, I didn't black out until we slammed into the ground. Something happened in that light. And it's the reason we're still alive."  
  
"That's crazy, there's no way.."  
  
"We are the only survivors and we were all closest to the center. I think crazy is the only thing we've got to go on."  
  
The two continued to walk in silence. There was nothing more that could be said. After a quick stop at the vending machines, both decided it might be a good idea to alleviate the nurses' fears and get some rest.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The night lay cold and ominous upon the young occupants of the hospital room. Fooling family members into believing they had fallen asleep, the young girl and boy lay quietly, staring vacantly at the blank ceiling. Every hour or so, the two would exchange knowing worried glances. Nothing needed to be said. Nothing could be said. Neither one had the answers the other looked for. Vainly, the two attempted sleep, but tonight was not a forgiving one. No sleep would be had.  
  
Little before dawn, Dave regained consciousness. Caught in a dark and unfamiliar place, he immediately began to ask the empty room where he was. The commotion was enough to wake the family members who remained in the room. Excitement and tears of joy flooded into the tiny room. The loud voices were enough to convince the pretenders that they no longer needed to fake sleep. Still, their attempts to speak to Dave were futile while he was lavished with attention.  
  
The noise took a while to calm down. By the time each person had greeted Dave and gave prayers of thanks, it was well passed nine o'clock in the morning. The doctors had come originally to check on Dave, and were now filtering back out the door. One particularly weary doctor turned to Danielle before exiting.  
  
"You seem to be in perfect condition. We've decided that you can go home today. Your parents will take care of all the paperwork, so you might want to say your goodbyes to everyone now."  
  
"Wait... but all my friends aren't here. Do you know where Bernie is?"  
  
"Bernie? The other survivor? Ah yes, you can find him on the top floor, special cases ward, room 723."  
  
Danielle looked to the pleading eyes of her other friends quickly. "Do you think we could all go see him? Me, Dave and Keith."  
  
"I don't think it the best idea, especially since your friend Dave here has just woken up, but from what I have heard of yours and Mr. Walter's exploits from yesterday, I imagine you all will find you way up there even if I say no. So, I guess it would be better if you stayed in a group, I'll go talk to the nurses. Just don't give me any reason to think I've chose poorly in letting you do this. Got it?"  
  
The three patients smiled, trying quickly to get up. Danielle was first to speak, "We got it, no trouble. Thanks a lot doc."  
  
Sighing, the doctor left the anxious room. Keith was quickest to the bathroom, Trying his best to keep the back of his gown closed, and having recieved a change of clothes from his family. He was in and out in a flash, decked out in faded jeans and a t-shirt emblazoned with cross country propaganda.  
  
"Does anything you own not have to do with running?" Danielle playfully asked.  
  
"I should hope not. I didn't spend all that time doing it for nothing."  
  
Dave took the momentary distraction to dash for the bathroom, no one seemed to be a fan of the abrasive and drafty hospital gowns. He, too, reappeared shortly, wearing jeans and a plain white t-shirt. The trio met together at the door with handshakes and hugs. It wasn't until they began to leave that they noticed the mob of people intent on not letting them out of their sight.  
  
Danielle, after receiving nods from her companions, became spokeswoman,"Umm, I know you all are still worried about us and all, but REALLY, we're fine. We would like to go see Bernie alone if you don't mind. We all have some...things....to talk about." Feigning concern and fear, she acted for her audience, "After this incredibly tragic and traumatic experience, we just aren't ready to talk about it with other people yet. We hope you all can understand."  
  
The mob looked within itself and nodded with disappointment. The trio smiled, trying to show thanks and uncertainty. And they each walked slowly out the door, one by one. Keeping up the act, they trudged wearily down the hall, until it turned towards to the stairs.  
  
Once out of earshot, "I can't believe they bought that, they must really be out of it."  
  
"Shut up, Keith. I'l have you know that my acting skills could fool a lot more than just a bunch of people who have stayed up too long. It was better than you coulda done."  
  
"Ha! Obviously because you have been in all those little plays you are oscar worthy now?"  
  
"I didn't say I was, just that I was better than you."  
  
"This from the girl who is always bitching that she can't beat me at anything."  
  
"Aaah! I can never win with you. Can't you just let me win, just once!"  
  
"I was just quoting you, I wasn't trying to start an argument, unlike someone," as Keith looked pointedly at Danielle.  
  
"Starting an argument? You're teh one who has to come out and bash my acting."  
  
"All I was saying was that it wasn't believable from any of us. Why do you have to take everything so personally?"  
  
"Take everything so personally? I do not...."  
  
Dave, realizing that this could go on forever, decided to step in. "Will you two shut up for just one second. If you haven't noticed, I have no idea where I'm going. If we plan on talking to Bernie anytime today, I suggest you two quit arguing until you can lead us to him."  
  
"Yeah Danielle, stay on top of things, geez."  
  
Silently wishing Keith harm later, Danielle led the way up to the top floor, still fuming. They reached the seventh floor with relative ease, if you didn't count the evil glares from everyone leaving that floor. The seventh floor was for special case patients. Each room was designed with a plastic wall separating each half of the room. The plastic wall kept out harmful germs or bacteria while the doctors worked in especially susceptible areas of their patients. The last room on the floor was different. The last room had been cleared out of operating tables or equipment, it had been turned into a regular room, although totally devoid of dirt, bacteria, or any allergen. Bernie looked at the wide-eyed group through his plastic cage. He smile disdainfully.  
  
"I've been expecting you."  
  
The three friends lit up at seeing Bernie, unharmed. Enthusiastically, they pracitally bounced their way to the barrier. Joy was replaced with confusion as Bernie stayed in his seat at the middle of the room, with a look of contempt written all over his face. Keith was first to attempt to speak.  
  
"Whats wrong Bernie?"  
  
"Wrong? Just that a bunch of bacteria infested cretins have walked into my new home. Do you like it? It seems that whatever happened in the blast didn't sit too well with my allergies. Now I can't breathe in any regular air without having a fatal allergic reaction. Now this plastic room is my new home."  
  
"Bernie, you can't let that consume you. There is more...."  
  
"Hahaha! You think me so petty as to care about that. I've lived with allergies my entire life, and I would have lived fine like this."  
  
Danielle was distraught. 'How could such a good friend end up like this?' "Bernie, if this isn't whats wrong, then why are you acting like this."  
  
"You took something from me that no plastic cage can make right."  
  
"What the heck are you talking about? We didn't do anything. We thought you were in trouble, or worse that you were causing trouble. We were trying to help you."  
  
Bernie turned a teary eye away from Danielle. "Keith, when you go home, or probably even back to your hospital room, you will see your little girlfriend again. You will hug, and say how much you missed the other. You two will be together again. Danielle, you are in love with someone who refuses to see it, but loves you in return. You know that in time you might be able to break through and live a happy ever after. Dave, you are afraid of your feelings, but know that you are in love. When you leave you might take this time to go for what you've always tried to avoid. I will never have those experiences again. You three have killed everything for me. YOU KILLED EMILY!!!"  
  
Danielle couldn't hold back the shock and frustration. "We didn't kill anybody. It was you who had the bomb, remember. It was you who was going to kill people, not us."  
  
"You little twit. If you hadn't come in, I would have left them all alone. I would never hurt anyone. It was you three who stormed in and made the bomb fall."  
  
"What do they have you on? You dropped it because you were scared. You thought we would turn our own friend in, and so you panicked!"  
  
"SHUT UP! Like you would know what it's like to preserve life. You fill the air with cancer inducing smog, never thinking about who it affects. You don't even care for your own well being, filling your lungs with the same smoke. I was go to WALK AWAY, but you..you..you.....cancerwoman, you had to ruin everything. If it weren't for you, Emily would still be alive."  
  
"Bernie, you're delusional. You need to talk to a psychiatrist..."  
  
"ENOUGH! I've had enough talking with you. NURSE!"  
  
Two large nurses appeared on call. Both displayed glazed faces and emotionless features. They stood in front of the trio and motioned towards the door. Not wanting to mess with the burly men, one by one, Dave, Keith, and Danielle left. Bernie looked towards the nurses, smiling as they quickly exited. 'Their fake logic won't work on me. I know the truth. It was their fault. THEIR FAULT.' Bernie looked around his tragically plain room. 'This world is over. And with my new power, I shall end it...permanently.'  
  
* * * * * 


	3. Rebirth

Danielle was reluctant to leave after the Bernie incident. After much begging and pleasding, Danielle had convinced her doctor to look in on the boy later. Now, she looked upon the smiling faces of her friends with apprehension.  
  
"Don't look so happy that I'm leaving, guys."  
  
"Don't look at it that way. Me and Dave are just glad to know that you are getting our of this wholly depressing little prison."  
  
"Thanks, but I still don't feel right leaving you two."  
  
"Just go on. We'll be fine." Keith opened his arms for a welcome hug. Danielle gladly took it.  
  
"I'll check on up on you once you get out, okay?"  
  
Keith shifted nervously, "Actually, I'm heading up to MSY once I get out of here." Noticing Danielle's disappointment, he quickly added, "But I'll keep in touch. We'll talk online everyday."  
  
Danielle smiled lightly, "Okay, I'm gonna hold you to that."  
  
"Hello people, I'm still here and in need of a hug." Dave smirked as he opened his arms. Danielle all but jumped into the embrace.  
  
In that second, Danielle was brought back to Bernie's words. She lightly tightened her hold, and smiled into Dave's shoulder as the act was reciprocated. 'Someday, Dave. Someday. It'll all work out.' Dave eventually slackened and Danielle sadly let go. It was time.  
  
Danielle smiled sardonically, "Well, I'll be seeing you." And as simply as that, she joined her awaiting family, and swept through the doorway. It took a relatively short time to sign out and proceed to the family minivan, and finally to home, sweet home.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The days pass rather slowly when you are constantly being watched and prodded by every single person around you. One accident and everyone treats you like some fragile doll, as if you'll break with a wrong word. Or worse, that you'll get hurt again the minute they stop watching. And so Danielle had spent the first two days of her "freedom" from the hospital room. Her mother had taken off work those two days just so she could have someone home at all times to keep an on her. Her mom had even gone far enough to forbid her to go out and see people for the next couple days.  
  
Thanks to some higher power, Danielle's mother had decided to return to work on the third day. Even if she didn't break the rules and go out, at least she could have some time just to herself. She had even woken up (not that she slept much anymore) early to enjoy every moment.  
  
'Man, I need a smoke.' Danielle looked around the empty house with slight annoyance. 'First order of business: find cigarettes. Second step: smoke a cigarette. Third step: repeat step two.' After an hour of finding her best stashes raided, the case of the missing cigarettes was solved. 'Of all places, mom didn't even think to takes the pack out of my purse.'  
  
Detouring casually outside, Danielle quickly lit up smiled with utter content. She paced to the middle of the yard and took a breath of that sweet ambrosia. Cloud nine was crap compared to this feeling. It felt better than any other high she had ever had.  
  
It is a well known fact that once you are doing something incredibly fun, it is inevitable that life comes and smacks you in the head. In Danielle's case, it was literal. She was broken out of her trance by a twig smacking her on top of the head, and sticking in her hair. 'Great, just great. Stupid trees.' It wasn't until Danielle realized that it was an entire branch stuck in her hair that she opened her eyes, only to find her body suspended 20 feet in the air, head touching the bottom of a tree branch.  
  
"OH SHIT!!!" The sudden shock was only made more vivid as she suddenly plummeted back to the ground. Screaming the way down, Danielle threw her hands forward on instinct, even more shocked when her descent suddenly stopped, leaving her staring at the ground from five feet above it.  
  
Danielle tentatively reached her hand forward, giving a slight push on the nothingness. Her body again rose into the air. The smile that lighted her face could have brightened the Mariana Trench. Immediately, her body shot into the air, faster than the human eye could detect. Loops, flips, twist, and twirls: Danielle gracefully dipped into the clouds, seeing the world from a bird's eye view. Smart enough to stay out of sight, Danielle spent the rest of her "alone time" dancing through the clouds.  
  
Finally, after checking the nearest clock, Danielle decided that there had been enough flying for one day. 'This....is...sooooo.....GREAT!!! Let's do the checklist, shall we? I can fly, I can go faster than a car on a highway, and I get it all from SMOKING!! I'm....I'm a superhero! Oh man is Keith gonna be jealous.' So wrapped up in her thoughts, Danielle didn't notice the drop in her elevation, nor the light post that was looming in front of her. With a loud clang, the light post was ripped from it concrete foundation, and bent around the petit form of our newest heroine.  
  
After a panicked extraction from the post, and a super speed back home, Danielle finally calmed down to a normal adrenaline level. 'Ok, so maybe I'm invincible too. Ha, now we'll see who fights like a girl!' Danielle ran inside, and grabbed the phone. 'Hmm, how to break this to Keithy-boy? Hey, guess what, I have super powers, take that! No, not believable. I could just show up. Yeah! That's it. Umm, I don't really know where he lives though. There, I'll call him, tell him I have something to show him, find where he lives, and bam! I'll be outside his window in a flash, in the flesh.'  
  
The phone was off the hook and in hand in less than a second. However, things never work out as planned. It would seem that when you are super-strong (not to mention hurried and excited), the buttons on a telephone are much more fragile than they would be to a regular person. It helps things less when you are still mad at the old phone when you pick up the new one.  
  
After realizing the potential disaster she brought to household objects, Danielle had to spend the rest of the day covertly learning to harness and control her powers. It is surprisingly tiring to spend all of one's energy trying to be careful. Danielle actually slept that night, even though her body no longer needed it. The rest felt good, readying her for the next day, when she would finally be ahead in life once again.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Stretching in delight, Danielle didn't even care when she put a hole through her wall with her little finger. The day had never seemed so bright and full of possibility. Lazily, she rolled out of bed and headed downstairs for her morning coffee. For the first time in years, Danielle felt up to reading all the terrible things in the newspaper. All would have gone well, had there been any other cover story.  
  
Danielle's mother looked at her shocked face. "I know, isn't it amazing. A real superhero."  
  
"I can't believe he beat me again. That BASTARD!!" Danielle threw down the paper and stormed back up to her room. 'I'm not letting you win this time Keith; two can play at that game.'  
  
Danielle's mother watched as she stormed upstairs and looked back at the paper. "Mysterious 'Running Man', A Real Superhero?" She just didn't understand why her daughter would hate someone who was only trying to do good and help people. 'Probably just some weird vegetarian thing.'  
  
* * * * *  
  
Beth cursed her luck as she walked home fuming. Work was never all too fun itself, but today was just perfect. Why get there on time when traffic can make you thrity minutes late? Why eat lunch when you can forget your wallet? Why drive home when your car can stall? Things couldn't get worse.  
  
Beth tried to keep her thoughts light as the sky darkened. 'Great, now not only do I have to walk, but now I have to find my way in the dark.' She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the large leather clad man in front of her.  
  
"Hey lady! Where you goin on such a nice night like this?"  
  
Beth looked up briefly. 'Stupid question, not worth my time.' She proceeded to walk around the side of the man as she roller her eyes. The man became irritated quickly and grabbed her by the arm.  
  
"Hey lady, I asked you a question!"  
  
"Look sir, I'm just going home, I don't want any trouble."  
  
"Funny, cuz I'm sure that exactly what me and the boys are lookin for." The man sneered an ugly snaggle-toothed smile.  
  
It was only then that Beth noticed the five other men lurking in the shadows. Adrenaline can make a person do extraordinary things. As if of it's own accord, her arm threw all the weight a one hundred fifteen pound woman could muster into the man's face. The gorilla hand around her arm slackened slightly, enough for her feet to take over and hurl her headlong down the street. The man looked up seeing a few stars and smiled again. 'It's always more satisfying when they run.' The men looked to their leader and without hesitation, ran with him after the feeling woman.  
  
A lone figure stood atop the city, watching the scene unfold. 'You'd think these idots would have better things to do than pick on a little girl.' The figure dove off it's high rise and into a darkened alley.  
  
Beth no longer had any idea where she was going. Her feet had minds of their own. She tried to keep a handle on where she was at least, but all the streets looked the same. Suddenly she turned between two buildings and kept running. She saw the dead end looming in front of her. She finally stopped, gasping, feeling as if her lungs were about to explode. She turned to see six men already blocking her escape. The leader had a predatory grin on, and stepped forward.  
  
"Please, don't...I...I... don't want any trouble."  
  
"Me and the boys just wanna have a little fun, girlie." The man reached out a grimy hand to the shaking woman.  
  
"I wouldn't if I were you." The Bear of a man turned to the voice emanating from the alley entrance. There stood a petite girl, dressed in jeans and a long sleeve black shirt, complete with a Zorro Halloween mask.  
  
"Oh yeah? Why don't you play with us too?"  
  
"You're not going to like my game, boys. I'd advise you to get out of here and turn yourselves in."  
  
"Ha, turn ourselves in? Why would we do that?"  
  
"Either way, you're going to the police station, your choice is to do it on your own, or after I send you to the hospital."  
  
"And who the hell do you think you are, girlie?"  
  
'Damn, I knew I should have though of that before I came out. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to use bubble-boy's endearing little nickname.' "The name's Cancerwoman!"  
  
None of the thugs had time to ponder that thought as immediately a fist or foot connected with each of their faces. In the blink of an eye, all the men were unconscious, sporting various shdes of blue and black on their faces. Cancerwoman approached the now shivering ball of a person at the end of the alley.  
  
"Are you okay, miss?"  
  
The woman's head shot up, tear stained and bloodshot. She surveyed the girl in fron t of her. The outfit looked rather crude, but that wasn't the main thought at the time. "I..you... what...?"  
  
Cancerwoman looked down sympathetically, "Here tell me where you live and I'll take you home, k?" She almost asked again, as no response came quickly.  
  
"Uh..Beauville Apartments...on fifth and...."  
  
"I know the place. We'll be there in a flash."  
  
Beth looked around at the six men on the ground. "What about them?"  
  
Cancerwoman all but giggled, "They're going to be sleeping for a while. I'll come take them to the station after I drop you off."  
  
"Oh....ok.." And in a moment, Beth was swept up in the girl's arms and taken into the air. At first she was shocked, but almost not after seeing the girl take out those thugs. In the air, and in such a close proximity, Beth was able to get a better look at her savoir. She couldn't be more than twenty. 'My god, a girl this young, and out saving people.'  
  
They pair touched down outside of Beth's building, and with a simple smile and nod, Cancerwoman was ready to take to the air again. "Wait... you saved me. Is there any way I can repay you?"  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
"No, please, there must be something I can do."  
  
Cancerwoman stood in the air and thought for a moment. "You have a second chance at life now. If you really want to repay me, make that chance count for something." And hardly had the last word reached Beth's ear that Cancerwoman was gone.  
  
Beth stood in awe. 'Make something of it? She gave me a second chance. I'm not going to let her down.' 


End file.
